"Leaving Patients Behind to Strike" Why a Local Hospital Director Is Angry About the Medical Sector Strike

"Even the smartest Seoul doctor needs a doctor who stays by their side all night in the countryside"

On the afternoon of the 26th, the first day of the second nationwide doctors' strike, medical staff are holding a picket protest behind the gowns they took off at Ajou University Hospital in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] As the Korean Medical Association entered a collective strike from the 26th to the 28th in opposition to the government's policy to expand medical school quotas, Park Hyun-seo, director of Hyundai Hospital in Asan, Chungnam, criticized on the 27th, saying, "I am angry at the emergency room residents who went on strike leaving patients behind."

On that day, Director Park posted a lengthy message on his Facebook starting with "I am very angry right now."

He said, "Yesterday (the 26th), two nearby general hospitals suddenly became unable to accept emergency room patients?one university hospital near Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, where COVID-19 cases related to Sarang Jeil Church were reported, and another general hospital affected by the residents' strike. As a result, our Hyundai Hospital became the only hospital in Asan City, with a population of 350,000, capable of providing nighttime medical care," adding, "I spent the whole night treating emergency patients together with the head of the emergency medicine department. Moreover, yesterday was the third day of emergency room duty, and I was planning to go home to Cheonan."

He continued, "I am not angry because I treated patients overnight for several days. I am angry at the group that forced a large-scale rally during this situation, spreading COVID-19 nationwide, and angry at the emergency room residents who went on strike leaving patients behind. I also oppose the implementation of insurance coverage for traditional Korean herbal medicine prescriptions, which has not been scientifically verified for safety and efficacy, and I oppose the extremely risky non-face-to-face medical consultations."

Then, Director Park criticized, "However, they say they will only increase the number of regional doctors who are obligated to work for 10 years in provincial small and medium-sized cities like Asan by a mere 300 per year, which is only 10% of the medical school quota, and that too only temporarily for 10 years," adding, "Is it such a big mistake to achieve even a little of the health and pursuit of happiness rights of all citizens, including local residents? Is that a compelling reason to close emergency rooms and go on strike leaving critically ill patients behind?"

Director Park raised his voice toward the striking medical staff, saying, "Most medical students and young residents are from Seoul and have not the slightest intention of coming to rural areas. Why do they oppose increasing the medical school quota by 10% outside the quota for students who would be obligated to serve 10 years in the countryside they do not want to come to? Why abandon patients and even go on strike?"

He added, "Are you afraid that after regional doctors complete their 10 years, they will crawl up to Seoul and take away your food? Then they should work for 30 years. Only after you, the esteemed Seoul doctors, have secured your retirement funds and bought buildings can regional doctors open their own clinics," and wrote, "Would a 10% increase in regional doctors really become competitors to your private practice and employment? Is that what you are so afraid of?"

Director Park said, "Even now, emergency room doctors working 10 days a month demand 2.4 million won by charging 100,000 won per hour. Would the salary drop if 300 more doctors are added?" and "Would the public allow doctors' monthly salaries to be 2 to 3 times less than the minimum wage of 2 million won? The public would not want that."

In conclusion, he said, "No matter how excellent and smart Seoul doctors are, in rural areas, whether it is an ignorant grandfather, a drunken former homeless person, or a foreign worker without money, they need doctors who stay by their side all night when they are sick," ending his message.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.